Are We All Gambling Criminals?

[The Judge]

Instead of raising tax revenue from football betting, the government chooses to prosecute morality.
Los Angeles Times Editorial

MILLIONS OF Americans have engaged in criminal behavior leading up to the Super Bowl. You know who you are — those of you outside Nevada who placed bets on the Indianapolis Colts or Chicago Bears. It's estimated that about $5 billion will be on the line this afternoon in a nation in which even office pools are technically illegal in some states.

President Bush in October signed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, a law intended to resolve any ambiguities about the unlawfulness of placing bets online. Although most fans in the free world can place bets with regulated online casinos, U.S. law enforcement has been busy cracking down on the heinous crime, going after enabling credit card companies, detaining those who run legal foreign online sites if they deign to enter the country and subpoenaing major Wall Street investment banks involved in overseas initial public offerings of online casinos. It's another brazen attempt to extent prudish American mores to other jurisdictions.

One bemused Las Vegas sports handicapper told the Wall Street Journal last week that the ban on Internet gambling should be renamed the "Sopranos Support Bill," because the main beneficiaries of keeping closely regulated casinos from doing business online are bookies. Instead of protecting consumers and raising tax revenue from this popular entertainment, the government is protecting the turf of unsavory bookies, many of whom have ties to organized crime.

The gambling crackdown is part of a broader trend of a paternalist state protecting citizens from themselves, curtailing their freedoms in the process. We live in a nation still engaged in a war on terror and in a city struggling with escalating gang violence, yet precious law enforcement resources are being spent on prosecuting morality. But, for today, enjoy the game while pretending you don't know the spread. After all, that could prove incriminating.

[cptkirk321]

Originally Posted by The Judge

Instead of raising tax revenue from football betting, the government chooses to prosecute morality.
Los Angeles Times Editorial

MILLIONS OF Americans have engaged in criminal behavior leading up to the Super Bowl. You know who you are — those of you outside Nevada who placed bets on the Indianapolis Colts or Chicago Bears. It's estimated that about $5 billion will be on the line this afternoon in a nation in which even office pools are technically illegal in some states.

President Bush in October signed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, a law intended to resolve any ambiguities about the unlawfulness of placing bets online. Although most fans in the free world can place bets with regulated online casinos, U.S. law enforcement has been busy cracking down on the heinous crime, going after enabling credit card companies, detaining those who run legal foreign online sites if they deign to enter the country and subpoenaing major Wall Street investment banks involved in overseas initial public offerings of online casinos. It's another brazen attempt to extent prudish American mores to other jurisdictions.

One bemused Las Vegas sports handicapper told the Wall Street Journal last week that the ban on Internet gambling should be renamed the "Sopranos Support Bill," because the main beneficiaries of keeping closely regulated casinos from doing business online are bookies. Instead of protecting consumers and raising tax revenue from this popular entertainment, the government is protecting the turf of unsavory bookies, many of whom have ties to organized crime.

The gambling crackdown is part of a broader trend of a paternalist state protecting citizens from themselves, curtailing their freedoms in the process. We live in a nation still engaged in a war on terror and in a city struggling with escalating gang violence, yet precious law enforcement resources are being spent on prosecuting morality. But, for today, enjoy the game while pretending you don't know the spread. After all, that could prove incriminating.

I have said this for a while now, anytime you try and crackdown on things like this all it does is move it further underground and the people who really benefit from it are the dredges of our society. This does not stop underage gambling like some of the government say is one of the reasons for it, it actually will promote more of it because it is alot easier for a teenager to hook up with a bookie more than getting an online account. This government continues not to learn from past mistakes in history, Vietnam now Iraq, Prohibition now Gambling and the end result is going to end up being the same in this instance, the only ones who will benefit from it will be the criminals of our society, once again wonderful thinking by this government.

[Brother Love]

thats just it though the govt rather have that happen w/ money still circulating on US soil no matter who has it. they rather see that than see the money leave the country and trying to lie about the reason behind it w/ terrorism.

BULLSHIT IMO!!!